Shrimp & Grits
It's a low country dish that went viral in the '80s, now standard bill of fare on any New Orleans' Cajun restaurant menu.
Shrimp & Grits gained popularity after 1982 when it appeared on the menu of a collage hang-out in Chapel Hill, NC, called Crook’s Corner Cafe & Bar. It spread across the US as trendy Cajun cuisine was becoming very in vogue at the time. But arguably, the Cajuns of New Orleans made it their own. Like Crawfish Étouffée and Shrimp Gumbo, no self-respecting New Orleans Cajun cookery would be without Shrimp & Grits on their menu.
The truth is, the dish had been around much longer than that in the low country and bayous of the deep south from South Carolina and Florida to Mississippi and Louisiana served mostly as breakfast fare, often referred to as Shrimp & Hominy or Breakfast Shrimp. It was a dish mostly prepared at home, not typically found on restaurant menus. The earliest recipe for it appeared in a Charleston cookbook in 1930. But it took a food editor from the New York Times in the early ‘80s to discover the dish in North Carolina and the rest, as they say, is history.
There are as many variations of this dish as there are cooks that make it. The defining characteristics aside from the two titular ingredients are onion and bacon - or really, any pork fat from salt pork to pancetta - and fresh parsley. The rest it left to one’s culinary imagination.
Of course, aficionados will tell you only fresh shrimp is acceptable, and I would agree fresh is better if you live near the shoreline where you can be guaranteed it is, in fact, fresh shrimp. The fact is that most “fresh” shrimp you see at your grocer’s fish counter has been previously frozen. Since I live in a completely land-locked state, I omit the middleman and use frozen raw shrimp that has already been peeled and de-veined for this recipe. In fact, I do for all of my shrimp recipes.
As for the grits, aficionados will also tell you to use regular grits, not quick-cooking nor instant grits. I would agree with the latter, but I have no qualm with quick-cooking grits which have been par-boiled and require less cooking time than regular grits. Only the most discerning of palates would be able to distinguish between the two, a matter that becomes quite moot once this delicious sauce is ladled upon it.
Depending on the how spicy you like your food, you can adjust the quantity of the Cajun seasonings. This version will give you just a bit of a kick.
This particular Shrimp and Grits recipe was adapted from the cooking blog, Vintage Victuals.
Shrimp & Grits
Ingredients
- 1 lb large raw shrimp, peeled, tails off and de-veined
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasonings (like, McCormick)
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning (like, Slap Ya Mama White Pepper Blend)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 oz cubed pancetta (like, Private Selection Cubetti)
- 2-3 green onions, finely chopped
- 2 tsp garlic, finely minced
- 2- 1/4 cups chicken stock (like, Swanson's or Kitchen Basics)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 cup quick-cooking grits (like Quaker Quick 5-Minutes)
- 6 tbsp (about half of a 6-oz can) tomato paste (like, Hunt's)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup chicken stock (like, Swanson's or Kitchen Basics)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- juice of one fresh lemon juice (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus a little more for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the shrimp with the olive oil, Italian Seasonings, Cajun Seasonings and paprika in a small bowl. Toss until the shrimp are well coated. Set aside and allow to sit for a half-hour.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Add the pancetta and cook until almost crispy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the green onions and cook another 5 minutes until they are limp and beginning to brown.
- Add the shrimp with the oil and seasonings to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently until they've lost their raw color.
- Add the garlic and cook while stirring another minute. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a clean bowl and set aside.
- Add the chicken stock and 1 tablespoon butter to a heavy saucepan on high heat. Bring the mixture to a full boil.
- Turn the heat to medium-low. Slowly add in the grits and whisk constantly for 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, cream, and cheddar cheese. Continue to cook and whisk for 2-3 more minutes, until grits become very creamy and thick.
- Cover, remove from the heat and set aside.
- Return the skillet you used to cook the shrimp to the stove.
- Over medium high heat, heat the butter an olive oil together until the butter has melted.
- Add the flour, stirring constantly to make a roux. Cook the roux for 5 minutes until light tan in color.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and scrape the pan to pick up any browned bits. Allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Add the cream and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and Worcestershire Sauce, and blend in well.
- Return the shrimp and pancetta to the pan and heat through.
- Add the fresh parsley at the end and stir well to combine.
- To serve, spoon a portion of grits in a large soup bowl to one side. Place the shrimp in their sauce on the other side of the bowl and garnish with more fresh parsley.
Notes
- The quickest and safest way to thaw frozen shrimp is in a colander under running cold water. It will take a pound of shrimp 15-20 minutes to thaw.
